Unwinding device for spools.



J. L. WALSH.

UNWINDING DEVICE FOR SPOOLS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1914.

1,159,815; Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

ZZZ/29265565:

% jahnzzmzj/v, W z w w UNITED, STATES PATENT onnron.

JOHN L. WALSH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 THOMAS J. GONLEY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

UNWI'NDING nnvion non sroons,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed November 5, 1914. Serial No. 870,332.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. WALSH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Unwinding Devices for Spools, of which the following is declared to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to unwinding devices for spools and has reference, more particularly, to unwinding devices for spools used on sewing machines, where the spools usually stand upright and the thread is drawn off in a sidewise or radial direction from the spool. While many devices for this purpose have heretofore been devised, they are defective in operation, because of the use of spring-like or flexible arms for taking the thread from the spools, or because the bearings of the rotating member are subject to excess friction" and the rotating member is liable to be tilted in its support, causing additional frictlon when the thread is drawn off the spool.-. In other devices the thread cannot be drawn ofi' sidewise, but must be drawn ofl in an endwise direction, requiring additional guides for directing it to the tension mechanism'of the sewing machine head. p

The primary object of this invention is to provide a self-contained spool unwinding device, arranged to be supported directly on one end of the spool, and constructed and arranged in such manner that the thread maybe drawn off in a sidewise direction from the spool in an even. smooth and constant manner, whereby the machine may perform its work with greater efficiency, and at the same time the thread, espeoiallv silk thread, may be kept from raveling and falling down from a full spool.

Another object is'to reduce friction in spool unwinding devices, and to increase the efficiency thereof by preventing the danger of binding of the rotating parts against their support, so that the pres'enceof the device will aid and not prevent the tion of the sewing machine.

Other objects and advantages will appear in thecourse of this specification, and the invention therefore consists in the several novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully set forth and claimed. 1 5

perfect opera- The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing-in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of an unwinding device for spools embodying a simple form of the present invention and showing the same applied to a spool of thread; Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section thereof; and Fig. 3 is a plan of the device. Y

Referring to said drawing, A designates a spool, B, the thread'thereon, and C, the

spool spindle of a sewing machine head, a

fragment of which is seen at D. The unwinding device is seen at E, and in the simple form shown, has a base, 10, arranged to be supported on the upper end ofthe spool. WVhere large spools are used and a large size unwinding device is used, said base'may be of suiiicientweight to hold the device in place, but with small unwinding devices it is preferred to employ a down wardly extending, split, hollow spindle, 11,

for gripping the spool spindle, C, upon which the spool is usually placed. Extending upward from the base, 10, is a spindle, 12, which, if desired, maybe made hollow for the reception of the spool spindle, C, as. shown. Rotatively mounted on said spindle, 12, is the rotating member, 13, of

the device, here shown as comprising upper and lower, open-ended, tubular members, 1 1, 15, surrounding and turning freely upon the spindle, 12. Said members 14, 15, are spaced apart and are rigidly connected by an arm, 16, soldered or otherwise fixedly secured thereto, the free end, 17, of said arm terminatingata point beyond the edge of -the spool and thereat being formed with an eye, 18, for the passage of the thread coming from the spool. "In the form shown the main part, 19, of the arm, extends down from the side of the. upper tubular memberand is inclined out toward the edge of-the spool, at which place it is bent outward as at 2-0, and-also joined to the lower member, 15, by a part, '21. The arm,'16 isof rigid construction and rigidlyj connects the-two tubular members, 14, 15, together, whereby they may rotate in unison upon the spindle,.the two tubular members forming two separated points of leverage on'the spindle for the rotating member and thereby effectively preventing canting' ortilting thereof, and reducing friction between the stationary spindle and rotating member to a minimum, whereby when the thread is drawn off, the rotating member may rotate freely without any danger of binding upon the sp'indleand thereby hindering the perfect action of the device.

The upper tubular member, 14, extends above the spindle, l2, and has a central opening in its top, the edge of which is rounded oil to provide a smooth track for the thread to pass over, and at a point be tween the top of the spindle, 12, and the top of said tubular member, is an opening of comparatively large area, forming an eye, 22, for the passage of the thread coming from the eye of the arm, 16, whereby the thread may pass freely through the hollow of the tubular member, 14, and out through the opening in the end thereof, from which it leads radially or in a sidewise direction with respect to the spool, to the tension devices of the sewing machine head;

If desired the eye, 22, may be formed by punching in the metal in the side ofthc tubular member so as to leave a tongue, 23, that extends across the hollow of said tubular member and rests upon the top of the spindle, 12, thereby sustaining the entire rotating member. Preferably the upper end of the spindle, 12, is made conical in formation, so that the contact between the spindle and tongue may be reduced to a single point, thereby-reducing friction to a minimum at this place. The lower tubular member, 15, rests upon a shoulder, 24, formed at the lower end of the spindle, thereby assisting the tongue, 23, in supporting the rotating member.

In use, the thread is threaded through the-eyes and open end of theupper tubular mcmbeiyas shown, and then carried sidewise to the tension mechanism of the sowing machine head. When the sewing machine is started, the thread is drawn through the device and unwound from the spool, the tension 'onthe thread causing the rotating member, 13, to turn upon the spindle in the direction in which the thread is unwound from the spool. Because of the fact that there are two spaced points of leverage, in the form of tubular members, encircling-the spindle, rigidly connected together by a stiff arm having its end terminating at a point beyond the edge of the spool, and there formed with an eye for the passage of the thread. and one of the tubular members formed with a large opening in the side for the passage of the thread to and through .the opening in the end of the tubular member, the rotating member is rotated smoothly and evenly, and thethreadis unwound in an even, free and regulated Inanner, thereby increasing the efficiency of the sewing inach-ine, and causing even and regular stitches. Erom my-experiments along this l-ine I have discovered that it requires extreme delicacy of operation, a complete re duction of friction to a minimum, and the absolute prevention of the rotating member from binding on its support, to effect the even and smooth unwinding of thread from a spool.

I am aware that more or less variation of the exact details of construction is possible without departing from the spirit of this invention, and I desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the particular form of the invention described, but intend in the following claims to pointiout all of the inven tion disclosed herein.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An unwinding device forv spools, comprising a base arranged to be supported on one end of a spool, a spindle extendingup therefrom, two rotatory tubular members spaced apart and mountec to rotate on said spindle, and an arm rigidlyconnecting said tubular members together, and having its free end located beyondv the edge of the spool and thereat provided with an eye for the passage of the thread coining fromfithe spooL-the upper tubular member having an eye in itssi'de and a central. opening in its upper end for the passage of the thread coming from the eye of the arm, whereby the thread may be drawn from said opening in the top of said upper tubular member in a radial direction,

2. unwinding device for spools, comprising a base arranged to be supported on one end of a spool'of thread, a spindle extending -up from said base, open ended, upper and lower tubular members rotati ely mounted on said-spindle, said upper tubular member extending above tl'ie; spindle 1 and having an eye in its side above said spindle, and an arm rigidly connecting said tubular members, and having its free end terminating beyond the edge of the spool and thereat formed with an eye, whereby ing member comprising upper and lower,

open ended, tubular'me'tmbers, and :a :connectmg arm rotating on said splndl-e, said upper tubular member h-avinga portiono'f its side "above {the spindle bent inward in the of the upper tubular member for {the pasform of a tongue adapted to rest on the 4 upper end of the-spindle and thereby support the rotating-member, and the inwardly bent tongue leaving an opening in the side.

sage of thread; said arm extending beyond the edge of the spool and formed at its free end with an eye for the passage of the thread coming from the spool, whereby the thread may be drawn from the open end of the upper tubular member in a sidewise direction. 1

l. An unwinding device for spools, comprising a base, a spindle extending up therefrom and terminating in a conical end, upper and lower, open ended tubular members rotating on said spindle, the upper tubular member having an inwardly bent tongue resting on said conical end of the spindle and sustaining the rotating members, there being an eye formed in the side of said upper tubular member adjacent the tongue, and an arm rigidly connecting said tubular members and terminating at a point beyond the edge of the spool and thereat formed with an eye, whereby thread passing from said spool and through said eyes and open top of the upper tubular member may be drawn ofi' sidewise from the device.

5. An unwinding device for spools, comprising a base, having a downwardly projecting, longitudinally split, hollow spindle arranged to grip the spool spindle of a sewing machine, and an upwardly projecting, hollow spindle, upper and lower tubular members rotatively mounted on said upwardly extending, hollow spindle, and andrawn ofl sidewise from the edge of the open end of the upper tubular member.

6. An unwinding device for spools comprising a base arranged to be supported on one end of a spool, a spindle extending up therefrom and having a tapered upper end,

a thread unwinding member having a bearing member surrounding said spindle and resting upon its upper tapered end, said unwinding memberahaving an arm projecting laterally therefrom, and formed with an eye'.

at its end, through which thread coming from the spool may pass, and said unwinding member having an opening leading from its side and through its upper end through which thread coming from said eyeiin the arm may pass and lead from the unwinding member in a sidewise direction.

WVitnesses:

THOMAS J. CONLEY, CHARLES O. SHERVEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. c."

JOHN L. WALSH.- 

